Insect destroyer



INSECT DESTROYER Filed Dec. 13, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet i Inventor Hen/7 Few/1)? March 7, 1939. H. BOWLIN 2,149,503v

' INSECT DESTROYEIR v I Filed Dec 15, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 By 19m A iiorneys March 7, 1939. H BOWLIN v 2,149,503

INSECT DESTROYER Filed Dec. 13, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Inventor tiomeys March 7, 1939. I B LI 2,149,503

I INSECT DESTROYE-R Filed Dec. 13, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Inventor flay/7 I A tipmeys Patented Mar. 7, 1939 SECT DESTROYER :Henry Bowlin, .Tensha, .Tex.

"Application December 13, 1937, Serial "No. 179,558

This invention relates to certain improvements i ininsect destroyers andparticularly-"to "devices of such character that :are especially 'designe'd and ::adapted :for .use in :the 'extermination o'f boll *6 weevils, grasshoppers, and the :like.

An-lobj ect ='.Of athe inventioniis ito-zprovide a device of thisygeneral characteriadapted .to :gather nOIVCOllGGt boll weevils,'grasshopperaietc -While lying {upon the :plants 'and which. zinsects are "1 caused to ;pass through :a crushing. medium.

:A further object of .the inventionis to rovide in: a device of this .characterimprovedxmeans if or crushing the insects andralso-zfor .apreventing ac- :cumulations :of :the --:crushed :in-sects on the maa'chine.

The ,1 invention .together WVith its "objects and advantages will sbetbest understood froma study of 'the following :description taken connecition-with the"accompanyingrdrawings whereins-- :Figure .1 'is as side :zelevational view o'f *-the= machine,

.Figure 1.2 is :a top :plan wie-w thereof,

iFigure 3 is a .rear elevational'aview of thema- .chine,

26 Figure 4 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view "through'a crushing device, ant].

-F'igure-5 is a fragmentary perspective viewil- 'lustrating certain details hereinaftenmorefully referred to.

=80 *Referring to the drawingsbrrference 'numerals it-wil1 be seen that in the prferred em- "bodiment thereof the insect exterminator'or' destroyer' is' in the 'formof "a draft. attachmenvand comprises "an arch axle 5 *on the ends '6 =of which are journaled traction wheels I A draft tongue Bis-secured at its rearieridto the axle 5 as-at9, and Jsuitably-mounted'pnthe rear end .of the draftton'gue 81is 'a seat :"for the operator of the machine.

Further the invention comprises a .pair of .spaced apart -insectereceiving and destroying :or crushing assemblies 4 I.

Each of the assemblies H-.comprises atframelike trough I2 :provided at one end with side extensions I3. Extensions l3 at the free ends thereof are pivoted to the opposite end portions of a suspension element I5 that is in the form of a rectangular frame the top and bottom sides of which are apertured to accommodate a suspension rod I6. Rod 16 is provided at the upper end thereof with an eye I! sleeved on end 6 of the axle 5 as shown in Figurefi, and at the lower end thereof the rod 16 is provided with a cotter pin or other retaining element I! as shown.

Theforward end of each frame [2 is supported in the following manner:---

Suitably fixed-.as at" on an intermediatepor- ..tion.of the draft tongue 8iis a 'transverse's'leeve il9 iniwhich is slidablyaccommodated aZbar20. "5

"At the opposite ends thereof the bar'20 is'turned downwardly as at 2| and each end 2| .of .the'bar "2B is connected with the forward end of .afframe 12 through the medium ofa runner or skid 22. 4 Skid 22 at one'end thereof ispivoted totheframe 1' I2 as at "23 "and at 'an oppcsiteend'thereof is pivoted'to an end 2| of the bar'20 as at '24.

For tilting the frame 12 longitudinally .and securing the frame l.2.at"the desiredposition ofad- 'justment there isprovided therefor an adjusting t5 lhandlever 25'which is pivotedas at 26 to a. rack :segmentZ'I bolted or. otherwise suitably mounted .as at "28 on one .side of "the axle .5. Lever 25 provided with a detent 29 cooperable with the rack segment"?! for securing the .lever 25 at the desired position of adjustment. :At the lower end thereof. lever 25 which .is of the shape shown in Figure '5 is 'pivotally .connected "to the suspension rod t6 "through the medium of a'link 30. It will thus beseenthatby rocking the lever -25 "in' the desired Idirectionsuspension rod 16 .Will be caused to swing aboutthe axle endli as. an axis in a manner to adjust the frame 12 relativeto grounds-level.

.It will. be ."further' appreciated that the. hanger frames ['5 are rotatable about thehanger barslfi asvaxes .so'that the.frames,.l.2 .of thedevices H .may .beswung. either .to the. right .or left as. may 'bejfound desirable.

Theswinging of theassemblies II .to .the. right .or left is accomplished .by sliding the .bar :20 through. the. sleeve I 9 inthe properdirection.

For sliding the bar'20 in the desired direction .thereis provided a chainBl .which..-at'its.opposite .endsis secured to the bar "20 as at .32.

The chain 3| is trained over asprocketwheel'33 I provided on'one end of alongitudinally extending shaft 34.

The shaft 34 has-one end thereofjournaledin a suitable bearing extension "35 associated 'with the guide sleeve l9 and a second end thereof journaled in a suitable bearing bracket 36 rising from the draft tongue 8 adjacent the rear end of the draft tongue. At the last named end thereof the shaft 34 is provided with a crank 31 within convenient reach of the occupant of seat ID.

The bearing bracket 35 is provided with an inwardly directed lug 38 which serves to maintain the chain 3| in engagement with the sprocket wheel 33.

From the foregoing it will be seen that by rotating the shaft'34 in the desired direction rod 20 will be caused to slide through the sleeve I9 either to the right or left as the case may be thus causing the frames I2 of the devices I I to swing about the rods I 6 as a pivot either to the right or to the left.

The frame I2 of each of the assemblies II on the outer side thereof is provided with a vertical upstanding shield 39 which at the rear edge thereof is provided with a lateral inwardly extending extension 40.

Also the frame I2 has sloping inwardly from opposite sides thereof ledge plates M which serve to direct the insects, brushed from the plants in a manner hereinafter more fully disclosed, between crushing rollers 42 arranged in pairs and journaled within the respective frames I 2.

At one end thereof the shafts of the crushing rollers 42 are operatively connected together through the medium of gearing 43, and one roller of each pair of rollers 42 is driven from a shaft .44 supported between the frame extensions I3, through the medium of gearing 45. r 7

Each shaft 44 is driven from a traction wheel I through the medium of a chain and sprocket mechanism 46.

It will thus be seen that as the insects are directed into the frames I2 of the devices H the insects are crushed between the coacting rollers 42 with which each assembly I I is equipped.

Obviously the crushed insects passing from between the pairs of rollers 42 pass entirely through the respective frames I2 onto the ground with the result that there will be no accumulation of crushed insects on the machine.

For brushing the insects from the plants and into the troughs or frames I2 of the assemblies H there are provided brushes 4! which are arranged in pairs and are suspended at a desired incline,

or at an angle to the perpendicular from the draft tongue 8 through the medium of cross bars 48 secured to the draft tongue, and pivoted to the ends of the cross-bars 48 as at 49 are the upper ends of the heads of the brushes 4?. The brushes 41 are arranged in pairs with the brushes of each pair of arranged in synclinal relation as shown in Figure 3 so as to accommodate the plants therebetween.

Also associated with each pair of brushes 4'3 is a horizontal brush 50 disposed adjacent the upper ends of the brushes 4'! and each brush 5!) has the head thereof provided with apertured end extensions 5| through the medium of which and pins 52 each brush 5|] is supported in operative position to its pair of brushes 41 and the brushes 41 of each pair are secured at the desired position of angular adjustment as will be clear from a study of Figure 3.

As is thought to be apparent, in actual practice the machine is attached to a suitable draft animal or vehicle to be drawn thereby. As the exterminator moves over the ground the plants are straddled by the brushes 4? so that brushes 4'! and 50 will have wiping engagement with the plants in a manner to brush the boll weevils and other insects therefrom, the brushed insects being directed, as previously described, into the troughs or frames I2 to be crushed by the rollers 42 arranged within the frames I2.

To insure the directing of the brushed insects into the frames or troughs I2 each frame or trough I2 at the inner side thereof is provided with an inclined catch board 53. The boards 53 extend inwardly beneath the lower ends of the brushes 41 as clearly shownin Figure 3 to insure the directing of the insects into the troughs or frames I2.

It will also be apparent that by manipulating the levers 25 the frames I2 may be moved to the desired position of vertical adjustment, and by operating the rods I6 the assemblies II may be swung either to the right or left as found desirable. I

It is thought that a clear understanding of the construction, utility, advantages and manner of operation of an invention of this character will be had without a more detailed description.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new is:

1. In an apparatus of the character described, a wheeled vehicle, a pair of opposed frames, means suspending said frames from the vehicle including means for raising and lowering the frames for securing the frames at the desired position of adjustment, and also including means for swinging the frames laterally toward the right or left, said frames being open at the top and bottom thereof, coacting crushing rolls mounted in the frames for crushing insects directed into the frames, horizontal transverse brushes mounted on the vehicle, side brushes depending from the vehicle adjacent the inner sides of said frames, lnterengaging means on the first and second mentioned brushes for securing the second mentioned brushes at the desired angle of inclination relative to the perpendicular, said brushes being arranged for Wiping engagement with plants for brushing insects from the plants into said frames.

2. An insect destroyer comprising a portable supporting structure including ground wheels, parallel spaced frames pivotally and slidably mounted on said structure to permit the frames to be swung horizontally in either direction and adjusted towards and from the ground, insect crushing means located in said frames, means on said structure for directing insects into said frames, means for driving said crushing means from the ground wheels, a hand actuated means for the adjustment of said frames vertically, a bar slidably mounted on said supporting structure, skids pivoted on said frames and on the ends of said bar, a sprocket chain connected to said bar adjacent opposite ends thereof, a sprocket gear in mesh with the sprocket chain, and a hand actuated means connected to the sprocket gear for the adjustment of the bar in opposite directions to bring about swinging of the frames horizontally in opposite directions.

- HENRY BOWLIN. 

